The 5 Best Bars in Salt Lake City

1. The Tavernacle Social Club

What do you get when you mix two competitive piano players and two pianos on a single stage? That's right. The Tavernacle Social Club is the favorite dueling piano bar in Salt Lake City. When the musicians take the stage, they take suggestions from the audience and attempt to outplay one another. The usual result is hilarity, but that depends on the level of interaction of you in the audience.

When the two pianos aren't dueling for supremacy, the bar hosts Karaoke. The Tavernacle Social Club is located downtown on East 300 Street, between South 3rd East and South State Street.

2. Lumpys

Conveniently located within walking distance of the downtown hotels, Lumpys is the quintessential sports bar in Salt Lake City. Not only are there big screens throughout the bar with all of the major sporting events, but each table is equipped with its own HD TV with touch-screen remote control. Lumpys offers a traditional pub menu with nachos, pizzas, sandwiches, chicken strips, and burgers.

Enjoy pool tables, free Texas Hold'em poker, and trivia games. After the game, Lumpys hosts karaoke nights and dance party nights with DJs to keep the party going.

3. The Bayou

You don't often get a name like Bayou unless you serve Cajun or are an actual watery inlet. In this case, we're talkin' scrumptious jumbalaya, blackened catfish, gumbo, and alligator cheesecake. This Salt Lake City bar is known as "beervana" around town due to the massive variety of domestic, import, and craft beer selection. The Bayou boasts over 300 kinds of beer – 29 of them on tap!

The Bayou offers more than great food and great beer to wash it down with – they provide an eclectic, upscale setting for your night on the town. Live jazz graces the stage to aid in the relaxation for patrons on weekend nights.

4. Gracie's Bar

A night at Gracie's starts with a delicious meal from a gourmet menu. Maybe a garlic ox burger with sharp cheddar on a toasted bun, or panko-pinenut crusted salmon with lemon risotto, asparagus, and balsamic glaze, perhaps. Enjoy the clean, contemporary upscale interior while you dine, or indulge your taste buds whilst on the patio. Live music provides ambiance as the night moves along and the wine and cocktails pour, watch the city around you transform into night, providing a glistening, sparkling backdrop while enjoying the fresh air on the upper deck.

5. The Depot

The Depot rocks. The bar is literally the original Union Pacific train depot for Salt Lake City, transformed into a 1,200-person live music haven. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, so this makes for an especially interesting night for anyone who is into the expansion of the railroads into the Western United States and for those who appreciate the stunning architectural detail of the past.

The Depot's unique setting is great for a dinner and a drink and also attracts live, headlining acts from around the country, mostly of the rock n' roll variety.

When you're done with the craft brews and bar stools, head over to the Salt Lake City clubs.